Mechanical toy



Jan. 12 [1926. 1,569,225

1.. s. GUNDERMAN w IECHANIGAL TOY Filed March 8, 1924 2 Sheet$-$h96t 1WITNESSES B INVENTOR Jan 12 1926.

L. S. GUNDERMAN MECHANICAL TOY Filed March 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES LESTER S. GUNDERMAN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANICAL TOY.

Application filed March 8, 1924. Serial No. 697,740.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lns'rnr. S. Gonorr- MAN, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at 251 Kennedy Ave, N. 8., Pittsburgh, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Mechanical Toys, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus or toy of the type embodyinga circular track with moving or traveling play pieces and may be termeda circular speed way. The object of this invention is to improve theconstruction and operation of such toys so constructed that the conicaldisc is suspended on an inverted U shaped bracket over a motor shaft thesuspension point being in a vertical line with the motor shaft, theconical disc being driven in a circular swinging manner. 1

Another object is the novel means of im parting a rotary wave motion tothe outward edge of the depressed disc.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of the disc track, the play pieces and thesupport, the motor and base being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a View of the toy on line A--A, Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a section on line B B, of Fig. 2, and shows a modified form ofplay pieces.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the vertical connecting member. 1

Fig. 5 is a plan and part section view of the supporting member.

Fig. 6 is a section of a driving gear carrying a bearing at one side ofits center. I

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of one form of play pieces.

The toy comprises a base 10, which is pref erably of a metal sheetpressed to form a raised surface, a hole 11 is provided in the surfaceto accommodate motor parts. Secured to the base is a suitable springmotor the upper frame of which is indicated by 12. The motor may be ofany standard type,one of the motor gears 13 being mounted. on the end ofthe gear shaft outside of the motor frame, the gear being provided witha hearing 14 at one side of the center of the vertical axis thereof.

Mounted on the base 10 is a supporting member 15 which is in the form ofan inverted U shaped metal strip, the upper part 16, being made parallelwith the base 10, the part 16 has a pin bearing 17 which is in avertical line with the axis of the gear 13, the pin bearing supports anupright member 18, the upper end of which is made in the form of a hook19, the hook is passed through the slots 20 and 21, and is supported onthe pin 17. The slots 20 and 21 are for preventing the upright 18 frombeing rotated when the toy is in action.

Part of the: lower end of the upright 18 is bent outwardly forming anangle 22 to which a shaped disc 23 is secured, the disc is preferably ofsheet metal, formed into a conical shape, the control portion 24 beingmounted on the angle portion 22 of the upright member 18.

The disc 23 has raised or annular mem bers 25 thereon, the space 26between the annular members are circular tracks or runways. The lowerend ofthe upright 18 is: provided with a depending pivot bearing 27which resides in the bearing 141 in the gear 13, serving to swing theupright 18 and the conical disc 23 in a circular manner. To prevent thepin 27 from being accidently disengaged from the gear bearing 141 aretaining lug 28 is provided. One end of the retaining lug is punchedout of the supporting member 15, and bent backwardly over the hook 19 insuch a manner that pivot'pin 27 cannot become disengaged from thehearing 19, but will be sufliciently free to swing in a circular manner.7

A suitable bearing 29 in the upper portion of the U member 15 isprovided for the support of the winding key.

The conical. disc 23 has openings 31 provided for the U member 15 topass through for the support of the said disc.

An opening 32 is also provided for the key 30 to pass through the discfor winding of the motor. It being obvious that the openings 31 and 32are sufiiciently large enough that the disc 23 will not strike on thesupport 15 or the winding key 30, to interfere with the operation of thetoy.

Fig. 1 shows play pieces on wheels set over the annular members 25 whichcome in contact with the inside of the wheels when being guided aroundthe disc 23; the other form of play pieces being of spherical bodiesrest on the upper corners of the annular members 25, as shown in Fig. 3,which cause the spherical bodies to move in a true circular path aboutthe disc 23.

Fig. 1 shows the play pieces in the form of a horse and rider on wheels,a side elevation is shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 3 shows a modified form ofmoving play pieces in the shape of spherical bodies. While the playpieces are not shown in different colors it is to be understood thatthey are to be each of a different color.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The play pieces are placed on the track, 25, then by tightening themotor spring by turning the key 30 the gear 18 will be rotated.

The play pieces are placed on the tracks, then by tightening the springby turning the key the gear 13 will carry the upright in a circularswinging manner carrying the disc also in a circular swinging mannercausing the periphery thereof to have a circular advancing elevationthereon, which causes the play pieces to travel by gravity.

In guiding the wheels of one form of play pieces around the disc theannular members come in contact with the inside edges of the wheels, inthe other form of play pieces the spherical members rest on the bottomof track 15.

I claim 1. A toy comprising a base, an inverted U shaped member mountedin the base, a spring motor including a driving gear in said U-shapedmember, an upright member eccentrically mounted and freely movable insaid driving gear and movable on said U-shaped member, a disc attachedto said upright member, tracks forming a structurally integral portionof said disc, and playing pieces adapted to travel on said tracks.

2. A toy comprising a base, an inverted U-shaped member mounted on thebase, a driving motor including a driving gear mounted on said base, anupright member suspended and freely movable on said U member the lowerend of said upright being mounted in said driving gear and being carriedin a circular manner by said gear, a conical disc being mounted on saidupright, and playing pieces adapted to travel on said disc.

A toy comprising a conical shaped disc having circular tracks thereon,said tracks forming a structurally integral portion of the disc, anupright mounted on the said disc, the upper portion of the said uprightbeing carried on a bearing in the inverted U shaped member, the lowerend of the said upright extending into a motor gear at one side of thecenter thereof to swing the disc in a circular manner causing the rim ofthe said disc to progressively elevate and depress and the objects totravel around the tracks by gravity.

4. A- toy comprising a base, an inverted U shaped member mounted on thebase, a spring motor including a driving gear in said lJ-shaped member,an upright member eccentrically mounted and freely movable in saiddriving gear and movable on said U-shaped member, a portion of saidU-shaped member bent over one end of said upright, a disc attached tosaid upright member, tracks forming a structurally integral portion ofsaid disc, and playing pieces adapted to travel on said tracks.

5. A toy comprising a base, an inverted lJ-shaped member mounted on thesaid base, a spring motor including a driving gear mounted on said base.an upright member eccentrically mounted and freely movable in saiddriving gear and suspended on said U-shaped member, a conical discattached to said upright member, tracks forming a structurally integralportion of said disc, and playing pieces adapted to travel on saidtracks. I

6. A toy comprising a base, a supporting member and a spring motorincluding a driving gear mounted on said base, an upright membereccentrically mounted and freely movable in said driving gear andsuspended on said supporting member, a disc attached to said uprightmember, tracks forming a structurally integral portion of said disc, andplaying pieces adapted to travel on said tracks.

7. A toy comprising a base, a supporting member and a spring motorincluding a driving gear mounted on said base, an upright membereccentrically mounted and freely movable in said driving gear andpivotally suspended on said supporting member, a retaining lug over oneend of said upright preventing vertical movement thereof, a discattached to said upright member, tracks forming a structurally integralportion of said disc, and playing pieces adapted to travel on the saidtracks.

8. A toy comprising a base, a supporting member mounted thereon, aspring motor including a driving gear moimted on said base, a conicaldisc having tracks thereon, an upright member mounted on the center ofsaid conical disc, the upper end of said upright member mounted on saidsupporting member, the lower end of said upright member pivoted in saidgear at one side of the center thereof, to swing said disc in a circularmanner, and playing pieces to travel on said tracks.

9. A toy comprising a base, a supporting structure mounted thereon, aspring motor including a driving gear mounted on sait base, a conicaldisc having circular tracks thereon, an upright member mounted on saiddisc, the upright freely mounted on said supporting structure, a membemounted over the end of said upright, the lower end of said uprightfreely mounted in said gear at one side of the center thereof to swingthe disc in a circular manner, and playing pieces to travel on saidtracks.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature;

LESTER S, GUNDERMAN.-

